Carpe Demon
by Bristow Woman
Summary: Kagome Higurashi, demon slayer, gave up her dangerous trade when she became responsible for an orphan child. Now a bona fide soccer mom Kagome is thrust back into the world of purification when the brother of her last 'kill' comes after revenge.
1. Raising Kagome

**Chapter 1: Raising Kagome **

Disclaimer: InuYasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Carpe Demon is the property of Julie Kenner.

Chapter 1: **Raising Kagome**

It was a night like any other late in the month of November. It was nearing nine o'clock and most people were home cleaning up after a hearty meal, getting ready for bed or settling in with warm drinks and snacks to be entertained by some must see tv. It was cold outside and the park was nearly empty save for the few who were braving the elements for a moment before reaching their final destinations.

There was a lone petite female sitting stiffly on one of the benches in a small aclove of trees seemingly transfixed by the adjacent water fountian. Her onyx shaded hair was pulled back into a tight French braid. Her face was without make-up and she was free of and of the usual female adornments. Her clothes we black, nondescript, breathable, and allowed for a full range of movement. Everything about her was utilitarian except her black and white Samoa Adidas. Hey, a girl's got to have style, even when she's out for blood.

She was Kagome Higurashi: Demon Hunter Extrordinaire and she was freezing her ass off.

'Geez this is so high school'she thought meanly 'he set this whole night fight thing up and he's not even on time!' But such was her life, she was destined to lurk in dark corners on Wednesday nights when she could be doing something entirely more enjoyable. She tore her eyes away from the lifeless water fountian and gazed across the landscape of the seemingly deserted park. She hunched over hugging herself in the cold driving wind, and mumbled "For this crap I missed ALIAS?"

Now she'd have to hear it secondhand from Sango if Vaughn actually went through with his plan to kill Lauren. Sango was a good story teller but ALIAS just isn't the same without seeing Syd in action. 'Why oh why do I not have TiVO?' Oh she was seriously going to kick some demon ass tonight. In her brooding over missing her favorite spy drama she almost missed the tingling sensation dancing along her spine that signaled an approaching demon aura.

Almost missed it, but not quite.

Her holy powers flared to life and she felt the aura falter in its approach. She stood and with a calm ire stalked out from the treeline and followed the sidewalk into the open. Her head slowly turned and her eyes met with a red T-shirt blue jeans and ghostly white hair. Talk about conspicuous. This half-demon had to be cocky if he was going to fight her in that.

"So you finally decided to show up huh? What, you lost track of time while pillaging grocery stores and raping helpless young schoolgirls?" Her voice was filled with her distaste for his tardiness.

Golden eyes narrowed at her comment. "Feh, shows what you know I don't have ta rape em, they fall at my feet and beg me to touch em."

Kagome's pretty face quickly contorted into an ugly mask of disgust as an image of this demon with his hands innapproiatly touching a young girl in a middle school uniform popped into her mind's eye. "Wow what are you like three hundred? Isn't it a bit icky for you to be laying hands on someone who's not even a quarter of your age?"

His left ear, which had a small gold hoop attached to the tip, twitched and he let out a jagged sigh. "I know your mommy prolly taught you to use your words but can we get this over with? I've got ALIAS on TiVo."

Kagome remembered her former righteous indignation at missing one of the best shows to grace the small screen this century, and here this little demon was basically rubbing it in. As if she would let him live to see it. If she missed it he defiantly would never lay eyes on it or anything ever again. There was once more a spike in her holy powers and she growled out, "Bring it on you selfish jackass."

He let out a dry chuckle and launched himself at her claws drawn aiming for the jugular. The demi-demon smirked, most likely thinking how easy this fight was going to be. He blinked and his jaw dropped when he saw his target was no longer there.

Kagome smiled and then dropped to the ground from her wicked jump over his form. " No, no, no, little demon boy that just won't do, you must try again." He circled her at a distance, growling low in his throat all the while. She suddenly rushed forward and caught the over confident demon with a quick kick to the face, causing him to stumble backwards. She felt the slight vibration of her cell phone in her pocket.

It was always the same, no one ever called her when she was at home alone, bored and looking for a reason to do anything besides train but when she was in the middle of a good ass kicking her phone suddenly turned into Grand Central Station. Kagome punched him twice in the face and followed up with an elbow to the windpipe as she turned away from him. She executed a swift solid kick to his stomach and knocked him to the ground. She answered the phone with a breathy hello.

"Hello Kagome-sama, it is I, Miroku Yamada, your faithful attorney at law here." Kagome rolled her eyes did he always have to use his whole name as if they hadn't known each other since elementry school?

"Hi Miro, we're gonna have to make this quick, I'm working here."She quickly replied.

"Work, at this time of night?" he asked. "Kagome, the dojo closed . . . oh that work, I'll make it brief then. Remember your brother Ichigo?"

"Vaguely, as you know he was out of the house before I finished preschool." As she answered the demi-youkai sat up clambered to his feet. He eyed her as if he just realized that she really wasn't Malibu Barbie in disguise and she observed cooly him in return.

"Well I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news" Miroku continued on, "but, your brother and his wife have passed on."

She stood still in shocked silence. Kagome took the phone from her ear and looked at it as if Miroku's head would suddenly pop out of the screen and loudly exclaim 'Gotcha!'. She may not have known her brother well and it was true that she did slightly despise him for leaving her to deal with the 'family business' alone. However she didn't have much family it was only her and her grandfather Since her mother died of cancer three years ago. She always imaganied that one day Ichi would come to his senses and return to his family. It seem that now that dream would never come true.

Little demon boy took note of her distraction and used it to his advantage to land a kick directly in her stomach. As she fell to the ground winded, she quickly gathered her bearings and switched the phone to speaker and tucked it securely into her bra. However as she began to get her breath back the demon pounced on her again and managed to put a large shallow gash in her shoulder before she rolled away. The demon grinned at her blood on the cold concrete.

She spared her shoulder a quick glance. It's a good thing this shirt came in a pack of five. "Ok Miro not that the news isn't sad, but what does it have to do with my lawyer?" she said as she jumped to avoid the demons sweeping kick.

"Well," he drawled out before quickly saying, "Your brother left his son to your guardianship."

"WHAT!" came her screeched reply, as the advantageous demon once again used her distraction as a chance to land an uppercut square on her jaw. She landed on the ground shocked from both the mental and physical blows she received. The demon walked toward her and kneeled, smirking before her stunned form. "Well Ka-go-me I guess the kids will never meet Auntie Slayer-bitch" he said as he prepared to rip her heart from her chest. He pronounced her name as if he was one of the kids off of the short bus. She felt the only thing missing was the short clap accompanying each syllable.

Her eyes glinted in the moonlight and she quickly put her right hand over his face as left hand settled over his heart and sent an enormous blast of purification energy directly from her body to his. The demon was projected away and out of her line of sight.

"Kagome-sama!" the almost screeching voice from her phone repeated gaining volume with each utterance. She slipped the phone out of her bra and put it to her ear "I'm ok Miro, "she quietly replied; "it's just a kid . . . I don't know how I can do that."

"Well, Kagome you should also be informed that if you are unwilling or unable to support him . . . he will go to your Aunt Sakura." She sat up at attention.

"Aunt Sakura!" she vehemently whispered. "That woman, that woman practally tortured me when she came to visit! I'm lucky that I'm even halfway sane! Lord knows what she'd do to a boy. There is absolutely no way I could ever let another living person be subject to her attentions 24/7."

"Indeed, ok then Kagome-sama" Miroku replied in a bright, cheery voice, "come to my office say, around eleven and we can work out the details."

"I'll be there" she replied curtly and flipped the phone shut.

She stood and tossed a glance over to the moaning demon who, for all intents and purposes should be dust in the wind, and immediately did a double take. Oh God, the freak was human now. She walked over to him. "Hey," she kicked him in the side for emphasis; " what's with the new look?"

He lifted his hair into his field of vision and sighed. "What, you want I should be dead?"

She rolled her eyes and replied "That's what I was going for."

He closed his eyes and sighed again. "I guess there actually was an upside to being a half demon" he said in cryptic explanation.

"Hey," she said while her toe was gently prodding him in his side; "You got a place to stay?"

"Not really I'm just squatting" He opened his eyes and looked at her petite form towering over him.

"You really got ALIAS on TiVo? Tonight's episode I mean?"

"Yeah . . . "he eyed her suspiciously as he pushed himself up on his elbows, "why?" At his answer she leaned over and offered him her hand.

"Let's go"

"Go?" he asked warily as he put his hand in hers.

She tugged him up and began to walk away. "Yeah we're going to go to your illegal abode and watch ALIAS while you pack your stuff and then you're gonna move in with me" she tossed over her shoulder.

He stood there dumbfounded for a moment before answering, "All right but I get top bunk."

She smiled and he led the way.

"Hey!" She said in sudden realization.

"What is your name anyway?"


	2. Shaolin Soccer Mom

For _Fluffy._ Because she asked.

**Chapter 2:** Shaolin Soccer Mom

Higurashi, InuYasha Higurashi. Obviously no one is going to be dubbing that name over James Bond's anytime soon, but when you're suddenly literally a nobody you take what you can get. Despite his new name InuYasha was grateful to Kagome for taking him in. Life was hard for him as a half-demon living between both worlds and never belonging to either.

He had no experience living as a 'pathetic human' and would have been lost without her to stand behind him. He didn't need proof of his existence when he was a half demon but when he abruptly became a human all kinds of documents had to be falsified. Humans actually needed a birth certificate. Why does anyone need their birth certified? Didn't the fact that you were actually there in the land of the living prove that you passed that whole birth test with flying colors?

He didn't talk much about his life before he met her. However, he didn't really know why he kept his past from her. Maybe he didn't want to scare her, being a hunter she knew a lot about demons. However there were some things done to him in his past that demons wouldn't think twice about but a human could never be that blasé. A few comments that he dropped here and there were all that led her to believe that his life had never been easy. She knew nothing of his family or how he came to be but she gave him space and didn't question him.

His reasons for not confiding his past to her were his own and he was glad that she respected that. Even if he didn't quite know or understand what his reasons were. He was gruff and rude at times, but she figured that anyone who was just as obsessed with ALIAS as she was, couldn't be all that bad.

* * *

The addition of a precocious preteen (two if you counted InuYasha's emotional age) changed Kagome's life drastically. She still had a few late nights sporadicaly, stalking her prey before they attacked an innocent. Now she no longer spent countless nights in the cold dreary shadows doing a job that few knew of let alone thanked her for. In the place of that, when she left her job she had a little bit of joy to return to and time to rest. Before she spent her free time counting the minutes til she did it all over again tomorrow.

Despite the fact that she felt mildly relieved to be in her current situation, she found little comfort int the fact that not all demons were thoughtless killers. And even less in the fact that with modern technology most people, if wary, could hold their own against one. The Demon is a race that is facing extinction. Where once they were top tier due to their natural abilities, now they were out numbered and scattered to the four corners of the world. Forced to assimilate with being that was once in their servitude.

She still felt the tingle of their aura's from time to time but none of the demons she happened across was reeking havoc upon anyone. So she only felt a slight twinge of regret in somewhat neglecting what she had for so long thought as her duty. She wasn't the only hunter in the world, but they too were few and far between. The occupation of a demon hunter was one that a person either quested after or was called into. Callings were very rare and being that few even knew of the existence of actual demons there were small indefinite quantities of people knocking down the door to fill the vacancies.

* * *

Ichigo had informed the boy, Souta who was eleven, of the existence of his Aunt Kagome but that was his only advantage over her. Kagome was worried over the fact that she was only thirteen years older than her new charge. The trite phrase _'babies raising babies' _came to her mind quite frequently. Despite her apprehension over her youth and lack of qualifications she helped her nephew through the abrupt loss and simultaneous of his parents.

At first, Souta was quite curious of his 'Uncle Inu' as he had never heard of him before. Nevertheless, his 'coolness' or as Kagome labeled it 'inherent male idiocy' stifled his questions of his origin. InuYasha soon discovered that despite his brash behavior which sometimes irritated the female sex, Kagome in particular, to Souta he was the epitome of what every male should be. He excelled at every sport, his walk and mannerisms screamed 'I am man', and he was so handsome that women swooned at his slightest glance. His every belch, fart and scratch practically held him in awe. His Aunt Kagome was all right, and she did own a Martial Arts training hall after all, but she was still a girl.

A somewhat difficult but a very felicitous year had passed since they found themselves lumped together, and she and Inu settled into their pseudo parent roles quickly and easily. They may not have been the most traditional family but as they say, home is where the heart is.

* * *

InuYasha watched Kagome in awe wondering from where she got all her energy. When they got back to the privacy of their home, he resolved to have her tested for speed or methamphetamine or whatever because he knew she had to be cranked up on some thing. He wouldn't exactly call her a crack head but this could not possibly be a sugar high. He peered around the excitedly wiggling Kagome to peer at the other parents. The chimney mom was chain smoking but chill. The hairy tank top dad was missing patches of his natural coat but seemed otherwise normal. _'Well_ _whatever she's on she hasn't shared it with them'._

Kagome jumped to her feet and shouted for all she was worth "Yeah Souta, block that ball, be the wall! Whoop! Whoop!" She punctuated her actions by waving homemade sign that read **'BLOCK THAT ROCK!'**and sported an almost childlike representation of Souta at his post.

InuYasha cringed slightly. He knew that if he and Souta were to switch places he would be far too embarrassed to be the best goalie that little league soccer has ever seen.

InuYasha tugged her arm to bring her back down "Wench, you're seriously getting annoying!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sooo annoying," she replied with exaggerated mock disdain, "Well so is your 15th century vernacular!"

"Keh, whatever just pipe down will ya? You're gonna give Chim and the Yeti the wrong impression." Inu replied with an added eye roll.

Kagome's eyes widened in actual shock. "Lower your voice when you insult people." She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. "And while we are on the subject of wrong impressions let's talk about Ms. Boobs-n-Blue Eyeshadow you were doing more than eyeballing last week."

"Keh, the kid's gotta learn about sex sometime." InuYasha replied with a puffed up bravado.

Kagome's screeched response of 'what' was so distracting even the referee took his eyes off of the action on the field to find the action in the stands. InuYasha glanced around as now they were the complete center of attention and tried lamely to calm her tumultuous behavior.

"Yeah honey, you'd do well to listen to your husband there" interjected the man sitting in the bleachers behind them whose meek appearance contradicted the obvious threat in his voice.

InuYasha turned in his seat and leveled his violet gaze at the man. "Look, buddy I don't care what she's done it's no reason for you to insult me. Any relation I have to her is not by choice."

The dumbfounded man could only say "Huh?"

Inu glanced at a pouting Kagome and they replied simultaneously,

"I'm her brother."

"He's my brother"

The folks seated around them snickered used to their childlike antics, which while distracting was also entertaining (hey it's not the world cup) and the outspoken man was silenced.

* * *

The game ended in a victory for the Tokyo Talismans. Not a moment too soon, for as they called the final score out the sky suddenly let out a torrential downpour. The Higurashi family rushed to pile into their sky blue minivan(the soccer mom's vehicle of choice), and excitedly headed home.

In celebration of Souta's perfect game, Kagome allowed him to pick what they ate tonight. He was torn between pizza and macaroni and cheese till Uncle Inu suggested having both. As the god InuYasha sayeth so shall it be done.

Kagome was quiet which meant she was thinking. A thinking Kagome always meant that InuYasha would some how get the short in of the stick. "Inu why do you always have to drive?" Kagome asked in a too innocent sounding voice. She really didn't care who drove but she though she could use his inherent chauvinism to her advantage. She had absolutely no desire to run through the rain for a couple of pizzas.

"Duh," Inu replied condescendingly, "I'm the man ain't I? It's what we do, besides I didn't see you angling that wide load of yours into the driver's seat."

Kagome's eyes grew wide at the wide load comment but did not retort as her jeans had felt a little tight this morning. Maybe she should teach an extra class at the training hall, the exercise couldn't hurt. However, she was still miffed that InuYasha would so rudely point out a little weight gain. Nobody ever points out the pot bellies, beer bellies, and overhangs that menfolk often sported. Kagome wouldn't classify herself as a feminist but as a modern woman she just could not let that slide, joke or not.

Despite his young age, Souta had learned through careful observation the two things that you never crossed a woman on. Her weight and her age. Both brought unspeakable repercussions. The great Uncle Inu might have bitten off more than he could chew and even though men had to stick together but for now he was on his own.

Silence reigned in the car. InuYasha gulped. He had learned slowly but surely that it was never a good thing when Kagome got quiet. He stole a glance at her. She looked very . . . serene was the only word that came to mind. Yep he was in big trouble now. He mumbled an expletive under his breath.

Kagome turned and gave him a slow look up and down then returned to blankly stare out of the window. "Language" she said in an extremely calm voice. An ice cold shiver raced up InuYasha's spine. "Hey Gome," he ventured, "how's about I drop you and the kid off at the house and go pick up the pies. You gotta gets that macaroni ready anyway."

Kagome raised a brow. "Fine."

InuYasha let out a slow breath as his family rushed out of the car. He was positively still in hot water. At least it would give her some time to cool off.

* * *

"All right set the table!" Kagome said cheerily. She had every right to be happy. Stouffers had taken all of the work out of the mac and cheese for her and she was going to pay Inu a little visit in the middle of the night. Her morbid imagination kicked in as she rubbed her hands together and a look of malicious glee rushed over her visage.

"Auntie Gome," said Souta meekly "The table's done." Kagome gave him a smile that he slowly returned. "Okay then you go wash your hands and when InuYasha gets back we'll dig in." She watched as he raced to the bathroom. There was probably going to be water everywhere in there as per usual.

She walked into the dining room and looked out the window. It was still pouring out there and she could barely see past the hedge. Through her anger she managed to worry about InuYasha being out in these horrible conditions. She suppressed a shiver as a tingle grew up her spine. Suddenly, the window burst forth with a shower of shattered glass. Kagome shielded her eyes as the pieces rained upon her. She looked up at the figure now standing on her ruined table.

His skin was about as pale as hers, and he had the face markings of a demon lord, two magenta strips on each cheek and a midnight blue crescent moon in the middle of his forehead. Silvery almost white hair that seemed dry despite the rain, fell to almost his knees, and he had claws instead of fingernails, elvish ears instead of round, human-like ears. A sword hung limply at his side. He was over six feet tall and elegant with a long, white, fluffy thing draped over one shoulder. And his muddy black boots marred the stark white of her mother's best table cloth.

Kagome's eyes darted continuously from his feet to his face till his words locked her gaze into a game of wills.

"You will die this night."


	3. Broken Sacred Arrow

**Broken Sacred Arrow **

Insanely, the first thought that fluttered through her head was that he would have been amazingly attractive, except for the ice-hard expression in his golden eyes.

Kagome recovered quickly from the shock of the shattering glass. However, it took a little longer to wake up from the shock of the mountain of mud now on her late mother's fine linen table cloth. Something about him struck her senses, made her hair stand up on end, and she had to repress the sudden urge to run, or better yet to hide. Kagome instantly repressed the fight or flight instinct as she Kagome suddenly jumped to attention and retorted in her best mom voice, one that usually made anyone under the age of fourteen, and InuYasha too, duck and cover; "Now see here young man this is highly inappropriate, you get down off my table right now!"

The demon elegantly raised a brow before he complied by jumping off the table. His trajectory was aimed straight at her. Kagome let out a peep of surprise and braced herself for impact. She knew that surviving a direct impact from a demon was much like surviving the blow one received when jumping from a moving train. She got as low as possible bending her knees so that when they connected she would fall back and away from him. She was careful to land so all parts of her body hit the ground simultaneously so she could absorb the shock over a wider area.

Luckily her fall was as graceful as a planned stunt one in one of those action movies that men repeatedly watched. She rolled on her back and jumped swiftly to her feet. This would be her first real fight in a very long time and unfortunately the demon recovered just as quickly. She was again on the defensive. In true demon form, his first blow was directed at the jugular. It was somewhat predictable that a demon would always try to end a fight in the fastest, bloodier way.

Kagome back peddled quickly into the kitchen; the pride and heart of their home. Her demon attacker appeared almost mystically in the doorway. She quickly picked up her the slightly heavy, solid oak chopping board from the counter as she passed by and chucked it at him, aiming for his head. He raised his arm to block the wooden projectile and it split in twain as it impacted with his forearm. She silently bemoaned, what was probably, the beginning of the loss of her beautiful kitchen.

Instinct and training she had long since brushed aside, kicked in and Kagome rushed her demon opponent and managed to land a roundhouse kick despite his tremendous speed. The demon's eyebrow's knitted slightly on his otherwise impassive face. This of course did not bode well for her, so the next step in her plan was a bit of a strategic retreat.

She dashed around the long and somewhat thin island that the room was centered around. He followed in hot pursuit. This would have reminded her of a childish game of tag if not for the simple fact that she could feel the breeze on her neck from the swipes of his razor sharp claws on her neck. She abruptly reached across to the other side of the island and pulled herself across, tucking her head under to avoid the pots and pans hanging down from above.

For a moment they stood on either side of the island in the center of the room seemingly assessing each other. He suddenly leaned forward bracing his palms on the counter top and snarled at her. She rightly assumed that this meant he might have been just a little bit upset at her not being such an easy kill. While he was a bit distracted expressing his anger, she used the opportunity to land, what we widely know as, a sucker punch. Her punch, which probably would have broken a lesser man's nose, only slightly stunned him and while he was taken aback at her landing yet another a blow, she twisted her fingers into his long locks and banged his head down into the counter.

He grabbed her forearms quickly and slung her back onto his side of the island letting the momentum slam her into the opposing cabinets; one of which was now partially unhinged. He aimed a purposeful kick to her side. But now in the zone, Kagome anticipated this move and she rolled out of the way quickly. She popped up onto her feet but, sadly, her evasion only granted her a second's reprieve from his assault.

The demon kicked her in the stomach, and she stumbled back, winded. In retaliation, Kagome roundhouse kicked him, if somewhat weakly. The demon aimed a kick to her head and due to some more artful dodging on her part, he missed. Kagome kneed him in the stomach. The demon immediately counterpunched and pushed her on the counter with one arm twisted behind her back. Kagome yelped in pain as she struggled against him. Within her struggles, she accidentally landed a blow to his shin. He stepped back to growl at her.

"Ha" she taunted him brashly with a grin, "Snowman: one, Retired Hunter: two."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the little woman, "Disrespectful little human!" He retorted.

His words belied a calm that he did not feel. The hunter, whom they had not seen in battle for at least a year, was not as out of practice as he had expected her to be.

He noticed the slight change in her stance and caught her at the ankle when she tried to kick him in the face. Sesshoumaru smirked as he firmly grasped her ankle to flip her onto the island counter top. She landed on her stomach a bit stunned but not really worse for the wear. He reached down to the floor and grabbed half of the ruined wooden cutting board, that he'd recently split, to put to further use as he prepared to break her pretty little face with it.

Pretty for one of the human persuasion that is.

He rolled her over preparing to issue a killing blow or two, just for good measure. Humans tended to resemble roaches in death, coming back to life when you least expected it. It was always better to be safe than sorry. However as soon as both of her shoulders rested on the counter top she swiftly anchored herself and booted him with both of her sneaker clad feet. The hunter reached up grabbed a frying pan from the hanging kitchen utensils and smashed him twice before slinking off the island. Sesshoumaru sent her an evil glower before he reached behind him and unleashed the contents of the canister he had retrieved into the air.

He was lucky it was filled with flour. Had he gotten the one filled with tea bags, this move would have been more dumb than helpful. He used this cloudy distraction to kick her directly in the stomach. She recovered quickly and this time, the hunter grabbed a knife from the butcher block to her left and swiped it at him. Leaving Sesshoumaru once more on the defensive dancing about the room on the balls of his feet. The hunter feigned a stabbing motion and tried for another roundhouse kick.

He grabbed her and slammed her on the counter again. Sesshoumaru wrapped his claw tipped fingers tightly around her neck. "You may as well die now, for I am not the only one to seek your life," he taunted. His voice was guttural and filled with anger. The hunter scratched at his wrists and gasped desperately for breath forgetting the weapon in her panic. This was not a message that he felt compelled to impart but he did so love to see fear in the eyes of his kill.

Sesshoumaru grabbed the knife from the hunter's hands and held it above her, poised for the finishing move but paused as he noticed a faint glow about her. She grabbed his arms and the glow began to focus and travel steadily down from his shoulder to his elbow to his hands. Belatedly he attributed this glow to spiritual powers and realized she was attempting to purify him.

Sesshoumaru could feel the path of the glow like a thousand red hot needles jabbing at him over and over again. While the continuous pain has stunned him momentarily, the hunter took the opportunity to kick him in the gut. He stumbled back and tripped over the remaining half of the discarded cutting board, rolled on the ground to land face down, unmoving.

Kagome got up and saw the position the demon was in. He was on his side and blood was seeping out from beneath his prone form. She prodded him with one of her feet to make certain he was out. Once she was certain he wasn't going to spring back into action, she cautiously bent down and rolled him over on his back. The blow and following fall has imbedded the knife, that still glowed of her purification powers, into his left shoulder. She tapped the blade lightly, giving the knife a little wiggle and a tug and it slid from him with a sickening plop.

She sat back on her haunches and tried to clear her head. Suddenly, in the calm after the storm, Kagome could hear a light trudging coming towards the kitchen. 'Oh gods, Souta!' "Stop!" she screeched before he could come into the room. At his delicate age, this was not a scene she wanted him to witness.

"Go back upstairs and get some clothes together" she says sternly.

Souta looked confused and started to argue "But Aunt Gome . . ."

"Do what I say NOW!" She interrupted. He was stunned momentarily by the force of her statement, but quickly ran off to comply. Aunt Kagome had never sounded like that before, and frankly she frightened him.

She knew he was scared. She looked around at the devastation in her once neat kitchen. He had to have heard the ruckus the fight had caused and waited for it to calm to investigate. She would have to teach him to run or to fight now. At the very least the basic defensive moves. Her decision from there on out could mean the difference between life and death, for all of them. She was not looking forward to either course of action, but if this one demon was bold enough to come into her home, could they truly be safe anywhere?

After Souta was packed and prepared for their impromptu trip, Kagome ordered him to wait on the couch in the living room for InuYasha. He had not spoken a word since coming back down the stairs, to find her pacing with a bloody knife that she just could not put down. She could only guess at what he was thinking at the sight of her and her colored weapon. But what could she say to him?

Kagome paced between the rooms. There was a demon in her kitchen. A Demon!!! She'd thought she had left them all behind the night she turned InuYasha human. And yet, there she was in a situation she had tried to avoid since becoming his guardian. Not only did she have to contend with explaining the whole situation and thus her background to the oblivious child. She also had to find a way to safely dispose of the demon currently lying within her residence.

Then it came to her. The answer to all her problems lay in one man. Her grandfather. He was still at the shrine and demons avoided holy ground like the plague. If they could get to the shrine, it would at least buy her enough time to think. Although, she was unsure if he would be willing to help her as he had not spoken to her since the day Souta had came to live with her.

She froze suddenly as two things happened simultaneously: The demon appeared in the doorway between the kitchen and the dining room, his hair danced wildly in tune with his anger, and, concurrently, headlights flashed through the shattered bay window. The cavalry had finally arrived in the form of one InuYasha.

"Souta," she said never taking her eyes off the demon, "go to the car with your Uncle and roll the front window down." With a dumbstruck nod, he complied when he saw the dangerous looking stranger standing ominously in front of his Aunt.

Kagome inched backward toward her exit and called on her holy powers once more to one of her hands hidden behind her back. "So, um, I guess you are not dead then huh?" She asked to buy time.

"There will never be a day when the likes of you could kill me." The demon replied gravely, and lunged for her again.

She immediately threw the knife charged with her holy power and turned on her heel before she saw if it hit. She ran as fast and as hard as she could, screaming at the top of her lungs for InuYasha to go.

Oh, what would the neighbors think of them now?

InuYasha had tuned out his 'nephew' when he saw Kagome come barreling out of the front door at full speed. He may have lost his demon hearing but Kagome was clearly screaming for him to go. So he threw the van into reverse slammed on the gas and backed down the driveway.

He put it in drive and put the pedal to the metal as she dove through the open window. Before she could right herself in the seat, she grasped onto his arm as she was suddenly pulled back out. She brought herself in a moment later minus one of her shoes. Adidas. She would be mourning her loss later, he knew.

"Geez this clunker corners like it's on rails!" InuYasha hollered over the squealing tires as he took the corner sharply. As he drove through town at a high rate of speed, he thought about the situation. This had to be a demon attack. He had assumed that when she retired and offered no resistance to them she would be off their radar.

Safe.

Apparently, he thought wrong. He sighed and asked where they should go. He knew of a few places that could hide out but nothing long term but as she was the hunter, this was her show. He nodded as she gave directions twisting and turning through the slick streets of Tokyo. As he pulled up in front of their destination, her calm words sent a chill up and back down his spine.

"Do not think that I have forgotten about that wide-load crack, InuYasha."

Authors note: Thanks to Fluffy's cage of Wonders for looking this over for me.


	4. The Kickboxing Kid

Chapter 4: The Kick-boxing Kid

'This was a heck of a lot easier than I anticipated' thought Kagome as her grandfather welcomed her and her pack with seemingly open arms. When he had hugged her in welcome she had felt an overwhelming urge to check for a knife in her back. She, InuYasha and Souta were crowded on the couch watching him as he rushed here and there making sure everyone was comfortable.

A slue of drinks, sweets, and snacks sat before them on the coffee table. The wide array of choices was fit enough for a Saturday afternoon cartoon-fest. Grandpa Higurashi was nothing, if not all politeness and Kagome admitted, to her chagrin, that to her memory, she had never been treated this well by him; even when she was in his good graces. If she had ever been in his good graces. And frankly that huge smile on his face was beginning to really weird her out.

She thought back on the day she had told her grandfather of what Miroku had imparted to her during their meeting. When you live with someone your entire life you would think that you would be able to predict their reactions. That was so not the case this time. When she walked into the home that she had shared with him for her entire life she had no idea that it would be for the last time. 

"I will not have that orphaned urchin in my home!" Kagome sat shocked at her grandfather's extreme anger at her news. She had no idea that he would behave this way. He had always seemed so disappointed that he'd had to train a girl. She thought for sure that he would be elated to have a 'proper student'.

"Grandpa, he's Ichigo's son . . . "

"Precisely" he interrupted her with so much vehemence that her eyes immediately found the floor as she cringed. It was a moment of excruciating silence before she could find her voice.

"He may be his son but what happened before has nothing to do with him."

"It has everything to do with him," he bellowed. "He is the product of your brother's thoughtlessness and careful disregard of his legacy. You actually want to take in a child that your brother put before you, before his family, before his duty? Think on it Kagome, where would you be today if that boy hadn't run from his responsibilities? That boy abandoned his family with no thought of the consequences."

It wasn't so much that she hadn't heard this particular lecture before but she'd heard just about all that she could take and she couldn't stand it anymore.

"What consequences? That you had to put up with training me, huh?" She paused as she tried to hold back the tears that always came when she came to face her grandfathers obvious low opinion of her.

"A worthless girl with no discipline or strength worth noting?" She threw the words he often uttered during her training back at him. He tried to interrupt her but she steam-rolled over him her voice becoming more and more shrill with every word. "I did my best. No, I did better that my best. I bled , I cried, I would have died just to prove my worth. I guess, now I see that nothing I do will ever be good enough for you. "

She had no idea when she had gotten to her feet but she stood there now her chest heaving and fists balled at her side. She had shocked her grandfather into silence and turned to leave with one final message. "All I ever wanted from you was your approval. But, I'm tired of tilting at windmills.Just remember while you're rattling around in this house all alone, you brought this on yourself."

After storming from the main house to her small satellite apartment, she'd informed InuYasha that they would be leaving. She'd let out a little derisive laugh when she wondered how big the old man would have blown-up if she had ever actually gotten around to telling him about InuYasha. Kagome wondered if Inu would have been so welcome if her grandfather were to find out about his former state of existence.

She hadn't even been in the neighborhood since then.

She had to admit now that her grandfather was not the imposing figure he used to be. Bent and stooped with age he was no longer the spry old man that demanded more than perfection from her.

* * *

He was getting on in years and just maybe with his aging, he realized the folly in ousting everyone who did not follow his every want, needs and desires to the 'T'. Grandpa Higurashi knew that he had not too much longer for this world and perhaps it was time to let go of his long held prejudices. Well most of them anyway.

He perhaps had found he could make his amends to his grandson through the child he left behind. And there was still time yet to get Kagome to forgive him for turning his back on her. Since his daughter's passing she and the boy were all that was left of the Higurashi clan. If Kagome got married that would be the end of that, at least the boy could carry on the family name.

It was possible that, given time, she could forgive him, even as he thought this the harsh words he'd said on her last day here rang in his ears. He had to earn her forgiveness if he had not already crushed the part of her that had always forgiven so easily. Besides, she was back with him now and obviously if her appearance was any indication, back in the business. And giving her that first season DVD of ALIAS that he had recently and fortuitously acquired couldn't hurt either.

He accepted InuYasha, no questions asked. Not that he didn't have questions; there oh-so many queries floated around in his head. It would take a while just to get his thoughts in order. He knew that Kagome had never had much time for friends when she was with him. He had made sure of that. He'd run those three tittering harpies she called friends away from the shrine; and with good reason too, enough to know that.

He assumed that it was not a romantic relationship between them. But, then again, he never was too good when it came to interpreting the matters of the heart. Ichigo's departure had confirmed that. However, he did make sure that this newcomer's sleeping quarters were quite far from his granddaughters just in case something or someone felt the need to go 'bump' in the night.

It was always better to be safe than sorry.

* * *

The room was dark, dank and smelled slightly of the urine and excrement of more than one species. The walls, which once were white in a more hopeful former life, were now covered in grime and mildew stains that wouldn't come out and stains no one bothered to try to remove.

This was a room full of dark corners for doing dark deeds. Dark deeds that had been carried out in this room before and would continue to be done long after its current occupant finished his own shady business.

Sesshoumaru sat in this room staring at an oddly clear space on the wall. That clear space most likely had a very interesting story behind it, but it was one that he had absolutely no interest in. He showed no signs of even noticing the world around him as his babbling retainer yapped his ear off while bandaging his blackened arm and chest. His skin had a four inch radius around the puncture, that had been graciously given to him by that little bitch of a slayer, could give leather a run for it's money on the toughness scale.

Due to the holy power which clung to the knife as it impaled him, he would not heal at his body's usually rapid rate. It was fate's choice that he kept his arm at all. To lose a limb to that slayer, a mere human, would have been the end of him. It would have been even worse to lose a limb for the sake of his worthless half brother.

He was still whole but despite that mark in the plus column he still lost. He mulled over his defeat. It may not have been a full defeat as the slayer had been forced to retreat. But, again, there he was wounded; due to a folly of his own, while she ran around unharmed. He had underestimated the slayer. He had not given her what little respect was due to her.

His father had told him time and time again that to underestimate your opponent was to place them a step above you and it gave them a deadly advantage. As usual his father was right. He would not make the same mistake a second time. He would do all that he could to assure his victory in their next battle.

It seems some reconnaissance was in order. Unable to accept defeat in any form, he would break the slayer and any other until none could offer resistance, of any kind, to him. For Sesshoumaru there could be none who could or would dare oppose him. As Sesshoumaru carefully planned his next move, his door slammed open and rattled on its hinges.

An amalgam, whose head was filled with lofty dreams of power, stood seething in his doorway. Sesshoumaru's anger was veiled behind a mask of indifference only expressed when he lifted a brow in his nonverbal impression of 'why should I not kill you on the spot?'.

"Ha! The slayer retreated to the shrine; you'll never get near her now that her guard is up. You've failed me!" Surely, that was not a statement that granted a long and full life. Sesshoumaru let it slide this time but his patience for this sort of 'thing' was wearing thin.

"Failed you?" He let out a dark chuckle, "You seem to be under the false impression that I act on anything other than my own interests."

Sesshoumaru stood regally and walked through his door, his muttering retainer following quickly in his wake. The demon he left behind smiled. 'Perhaps,' he thought. 'The great Sesshoumaru is not so prodigious after all.' He laughed darkly walked from the room and closed the door with a quiet snick.

* * *

After an few days rest, relaxation, and enough ALIAS to renew her never ending love, Kagome dove back into work. Her extra class was small but she was sure that enrollment would buck up when the word of its forming got out.

"Welcome to intermediate shoot boxing, I will be your instructor. You can call me Kagome." She smiled cheerily. "This is a small class so we can be extra friendly. Why don't we introduce ourselves?" She nodded at a fairly muscle bound man as a signal for him to start.

"Daisuke," announced the muscled man with a voice that did not belong with his body.

"Chiaki," came from a timid tomboyish teenager.

"Rihito," enunciated a Rico Suave type man who obviously had more confidence than height.

"Masahide," stated a man who was all business

"Hideka," purred a woman whose make up and a skintight leotard shouted sex kitten.

The last man, who was perfection in every inch of his being as stated in the Kagome book chapter two paragraph four, answered locking his molten brown eyes onto Kagome's steely grey. He smirked as an embarrassed flush grew in her countenance.

"Sesshou."


	5. Identity

Chapter 5: Identity

Sesshoumaru's trip to the mountains while irksome was highly rewarding. Old Totosai was a hot commodity who enhanced his value by keeping supply low despite the fact that demand was extremely high. Despite projecting the extremely aggravating image of a doddering old coot, Totosai was truly an artisan. His demon blades and other creations were highly coveted. The desire to own one of his pieces was increased by the fact that he was also very selective of those for whom he designed.

Totosai could only guess at what the young pup needed a human disguise for. Why would the great and powerful Sesshoumaru bring himself low enough to have to blend in with the human menace? He just hoped that helping him wouldn't be the end of the world as we know it. The boy's notorious reputation had even reached his ears. It was always the quiet ones that you had to lookout for. If only he hadn't made that promise to his father . . .

Sesshoumaru was, as per usual, bit on the vague side when he informed Totosai of his need for a disguise. It was quite the opposite of a middle-aged woman's trip to the cosmetic surgeon to break the spell of aging. His specifications were simple and summed up in one word. Camouflage.

*****

Despite the distraction her gorgeous student provided, Kagome managed to remain calm and professional. That is until after class and the students gathered their things and left the training room. Sesshou lurked behind chatting with the other students and being inconspicuously conspicuous. When he was the last one left, he decided to saunter up to her

His eyes were even more dazzlingly beautiful at close range. He smiled, slow and sexy like and she knew in the right circumstances, a little wine, some soft and sultry Sinatra playing softly in the background, this man could do more than tempt her.

Still, she could never date a student, could she? She held no express preclusion against interclass relationships, but she had never been in this position before. Even if she did, could she date anyone when disaster was sure to follow her every step? She never dated when she was younger. She didn't have the time with all the training and fighting. Did she even know how to date?

Why was she even jumping to the relationship question so quickly anyway? Yes, she had yet to be part of a we. Yes, her life did revolve around InuYasha and a kid that she hadn't had the fun of making. Still, was she really that lonely? Just because some completely delicious guy waits for her after class she's planning weddings? Geez, how mundanely adolescent. With InuYasha and Souta to take care of she was never really alone, but maybe she was looking for something else, something . . . more.

Could she even let anyone in on her double life? Most humans had relegated demons and other supernatural beings to the land of myth. She was Kagome 'The Slayer' again and demons had the nasty habit of hurting your loved ones for the express purpose of getting your attention. Could she knowingly place someone in that position, especially when she knew that her one major weakness was that empathetic suffering is harder for her to sustain than actual physical torture? Sesshou put all of her deliberation to an end the minute he opened his mouth.

"If I told you that you had a great body, would you hold it against me?"

Kagome blinked rapidly as her brain quickly ground to an almost audible halt and broke her silence with an intelligent, "Say what now?"

Sesshou smirked and ran his finger slowly up and down her arm. "I'm just saying baby, I got a condom at home with your name all over it, so let's drop all the bull and do what comes naturally. "

Kagome rolled her eyes and sighed in disappointment. The golden god just had to be a sleaze-ball. It just goes to show you. A pretty package doesn't always house a good gift. At least now she didn't have to worry about demons hurting him, now her on the other hand . . . hmm. However, before Kagome could rightfully put the handsome yet obviously vapid man in his place a velvety voice interrupted their tete a tete.

"That is not how a gentleman talks to a lady."

Sesshou and Kagome looked up to find Masahide standing in the doorway with a look of disgust marring his stern face. Kagome rolled her eyes again. It was pleasant that someone these days was chivalrous but if this was going to turn into a 'who's got the biggest balls' match' then they could leave her out of it. "Masahide-san," she began only to be interrupted by her ungallant suitor.

"Yo buddy, the 'lady'," he held up air quotes to show his objection to the word, "here and I were having a private discussion so how's about you bounce on up out ta here." Masahide stepped farther into the room. "I will when it is appropriate."" The peacock plume match had begun. Kagome almost threw her hands up in disgust. Just what was it about testosterone that made men feel the need to solve everything with violence. _'That's a fine thought coming from a person who makes their living off of violence.'_

Sesshou and Masahide eyed each other. Sesshou smiled and Masahide's frown deepened. '_I can take this lanky fool_' Sesshou thought. The events of the next moment greatly surprised Kagome. Masahide turned his glare from Sesshou upon her. "Miss," he said with a slight bow, "would you grant me the pleasure of your company and a tour of the facilities?"

Kagome was taken aback, this one was smart. He got her away from the jerk without actually backing down or rising to conflict. His old-fashioned speech gave her a secret thrill and she replied in turn, as any young lady with manners and a dog-eared stash of Jane Austen novels would, "I would be delighted sir." He offered her his arm and after suppressing a tingle at his touch he led her out of the room leaving behind a gaping and flabbergasted Sesshou.

Once they were well out of hearing range Masahide released Kagome. "Forgive me miss, if my actions were perceived as impertinent or unneeded as often happens. Nevertheless, I could not allow myself to stand idly by in the face of such disrespect. I will take my leave of you now." He turned and with long strides walked away.

She was left awed at his speech and manner and whispered "I thank you sir."

*****

Light filtered through the areas where panes of glass once were. The floor was littered with old cans, cigarette buts, and a few disgusting items of an unmentionable nature. Beautiful brown eyes searched intently through the mess for the rodents that usually called a place like this home.

The man stood near the door not really wanting to be there but know it would be best for his 'health' if he stayed. Even though he expected it he jumped at the loud creak that emanated form the door as it opened. _'Good, now I can get out of this hell hole'._

He regarded the dank room's new occupant eagerly. "So, what's up with the chick and that guy?" He was rewarded not with answers but a slightly thick envelope. His pay. _'Guess that means I did alright'. "_So...uh... I can quit being Sesshou now and go back to being Rui? "

The tattooed man levied his golden gazed on Rui and nodded. Taking his benefactors silence as his queue to leave Rui pocketed his earnings and stepped quickly from the room.

"So it begins." Sesshoumaru said to no one in particular.


End file.
